The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1887-06-01
ORIGIN OF FASHIONS.
Mans ana Womnn's Slavery TO tho
Whim's of High IN Social
@ Station,

In Observing the characteristics and
changes Of fashion It is Impossible not
to ridiculo them. We may become
familiarizcd with Il present fashion and
so see nothing preposterous III the at
tire in which humanity may clothe
itself; but when we look back historic
ally to tho many devices which lave
been used for her occasions we find
abundance of amusement in tho records
of luxurious folly. The queen Of
fantasy has been denounced with the
anathemas of the church, stigmatized
with the ridicule Of the stage and
apparently crushed by sumptuary en-
actments; but ''resurgam" is written
OH her brow and she stalks triumphant
In every age.
Many Of the fashions Of former days
| were invented to conceal some dcform-
fty Of person. Hoops, cushions, pan
icrs and other monstrous devices were
substituted to make up for certain UNI
kindness Of Nature, who had not graced
all her creatures with the forms 70
which they considered themselves en-
titled. Thus patches were invcnted'in
England in the reign Of Edward VT. by
4 foreign lady, who concealed with one
an eruption on her face, and to such Il
height WAS the fashion carried that the
ladies cut their black patches into div
ers groteslue forms, such us rings,
crosses, crowns, etc. In u book pub.
lislled 1T tho time tho author has pre-
fixed Il picture OF Virtue and of Vice,
in which virtue is modcstly represented
us wearing a plain black dress AMI
hood, with a'kcrchicf covering her
neck; and Vice With /; low-cut dress
wears no 'kerclicf over tho parts Which
modesty should hide, and with Il face
%yariously figured With patches most
obviously devised Of all manner Of FAN
taStical conccits.
Full-bottomcd wigs were invented
ny Il French barber named Duviller for
Tic purpose Of c%orccaling Il dcfOrmity
III the shoulder OF the Dauphin OF
France, and, while The beau monde III
England, wore their hair luXuriant, the
bench and the bar were seen with the
enormous wig, and the physicians zap
rreclatcu conformity the magical effect
that was paid to 1T by the world.
TO hide Ills ill-madc legs, Charles
VII. OF France introduced long coats,
reaching to the ground, and Henry,
Duke Of Anjou, wore shoes, whose
points extended fully two feet, to con
ceal an cXcrcScencc on mt of his toes.
So, also, when Francis i. was obliged
to wear his hair Short on account Of q
wound lie had received OH his head, it
became the prevailing fashion OF the
time.
Conceive, il you AN, a beau and
belle of the time OF Queen Elizabeth,
the beau dressed in his starcled doub-
let, his luxurious curls. mustachc and
beard starclled to u point, his enor
nous brecchcs pushed out to u most
laughable excess, being stuffed with
wool, hair, feathers, or other light ma
tali1' g ~ Of which was attached a
Itpicr % about t3nt feet tn length,
stlo'ting l6out horizontaily trcln lis.
side, Me a,ie, %itli Il Standing luaA fis-
Ing aDoYe h0i mead ,hof st0yH ota Nolicr
SO lou5-Y aiStcd th0t ii reached 10 i.cyI
Knees Witlt Il large hoop larthingalc
That lAttlriGd around lGV like q capp-
cious tub, making it impossible for her
beau TO impress his love upon her
distant lips, and which allowed him
only to come in contact with extended
hands. Yet such was the dominion
Of fashion that these creatures walked
the earth, not with the cOmmiseration
of mankind. but with the same envy
that the world now looks upon her
disciples who parade together as the
mincing monkey and tho divinely
dropping kangaroo.